Spading device



Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

; FAUNITEID TATE-e I v -1,6-24,610 PATENT err-Ice; a

' bscnn AKE Manson, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

" srAnnvG DEVICE;

I Apphcationfiled March 6,1926. Serial No. 92,869. I

i I My invention relates to improvements in spading devices, andit consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangentients herein described and claimed.

, An object of my invention isto provide a spading device which is adapted to dig into the earth with due pressure upon the spademembers.

Other objects and advantages will appear .in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.-

I Myinvention is ill'ustrated'in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this a p plicatiomin which Flgu're'l is a side elevation ofthedevice,

parts thereof being shown in section, I Figure 2'isa' fragmentary View of the device, parts thereof being shown in'section, Figure 3 is a portion of the device,

Figure 4 is a section along the line I of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 1s a sectlon along the l ne, 5+5 of Figure 2. a

In'car'rying out my invention, I make use of a tractor lhaving a rear axle 2 and a power take-off 3. I provide a stationary frame 4 secured to the axle 2 by means of a clamp 5, and to the frame of the tractor, as shown at 6. A shaft 7 is rotatably mounted within the stationary'frame 4. Upon the shaft 7, I have mounted a movable frame 8., At the forward end of the movable frame 8 is an integral arcuate-shaped rack 9 which is in engagement with a gear 10. On the under side of themovable frame 8 and near the F rear end thereof, I have mounted an eccentric shaft 11. 1

Upon the eccentric shaft 11, I have mounted a spading unit. The spading unit is composed of an elongated housing 12 and a short housing 13. A rod 14 is slidably disposed within the housing 12. The rod 14 is round from the block 15, which is secured to the lower end thereof, to the point indicated at 16. From the point 16 to the end 17, the rod 14 is of the shape shown in Figure 4. This is to prevent rotation of the rod. The

and at the same time, the power take-off starts the rotation of the shaft 11. The-shaft -11 causes'the spadlng unit to move in a circle,

rod'14-is normally held in theposition shown in Figure 1 by means of a spring-pressed ball lS, a portion of which adapted to be received within a recess 19 in the rod.

A rod 20, which is slidably disposed within the housing 13, is similar in construction-to the rod 14 and is held in normal position by a spring-pressed ball within thecasingQl. :T'he spading unit is pivotally connected to the frame by means of an adjustable link A block 15 is provided with a threaded portion and an opening24 therein Into the threaded portion 23, I screw a ension spring 25, the upper end, 26 thereof being turned upwardly and extending through the opening 'lhejupper' end 26 of the spring is threaded and anut 27 is scrcwed'in place. -Intothe-lower end of the tension sln'ing, I haveplaced the threaded shank- 28 of a tool 29. A plurality of springs 25 andtools 29 can be secured to theiblock 15, asshown in 1 Figure 3. The ,tools 29 are secured to the spring-s25, and the springs are secured to the block (15. in-a like'manner. sov

3 .The means for rotating the shaft 11 consists of chains or beltsj 30 which indirectly'ri;

, connect the shaft to the power takeoff The power take-off consists of a shaft which is rotated by the motor of the tractor. The

vmovable frame 8 can be swung/about the shaft 7 by rotatingthe gear 10. The gear 10 is connected to a transmission '31 by -means of a chain 32. The transmission 31 is indirectly connected to the power take-off 3.

From the foregoing description of the va- .riousparts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. To operate the device, thevtractor-isyfirst set inmotion,

the tools 29 thereon being forced into the grounchas shown in Figure l. Upon 0on tinned movemenhthe tools are forced backwardly and upwardly, thus freeing the dirt in front of them; Upon each revolution of the shaft 11, the tractor has moved forwardly a short distance, allowing the tools 29 which are longer than the tools 29 to dig into the earth" where the tools 29' had previonsly dug, andthe tools 29 to dig intoa new portion of the earth. If either the'tools 29 or the tools 29shou1'd-strike a stone, the force would be upwardly upon the rod 14 or 20; IVhen such undue pressure is applied to the rods, the spring-pressed balls, such as 18,

will be forced against the springs and allow the rods to pass upwardly within the casings. This will prevent the breaking of any of the various parts. a

The means for positively returning the rods 14 and 20 to their normal position consists of a plate 33 which is secured to the lower portion of the movable frame 8. For example, if the tool 29 should strike a stone or other object too diflicult to pass therethrough, and the rod 14 be forced upwardly within the casing 12, when the unit is rotated far enough for the block 15 to strike the under surface of the plate 33, by continued movement of the shaft 11 the rod 14 will be forced downwardly through the casing until the ball 18 is again forced into the recess 19. In like manner, the plate 33 will return the shaft 20 to its normal position.

The uraose of the sa'rin 's 25 and 25 is to permit thetools 29 211C129 to be freed from any object which they are strong enough to project through, but not strong enough to pass 'therethrough in their rotative movement.

The purpose of the rack 9 on the movable frame 8 is to allow the frame to be moved. about the shaft 7. This is controlled by the transmission 31.

I claim:

1. In a; device, of the type described. a spading unit, means for moving said unit in a circular path, rods having recesses therein disposed in said unit, spring-pressed balls carried by said unit and adapted to be reend of said spring.

ceived within said recesses for holding said rods in a predetermined position, and a plurality of excavating tools flexibly disposed at the lower ends of said rods, said springpressed balls being forced out of the recesses when said tools strike an obstacle, and means for moving said rods back into operative position. a

2. In a device of the type described, a housing having a round opening therein, the upper portion of said opening having a substantially fiat wall, a round rod having a flat surface for a portion of its length-disposed in said opening, a semi-spherical recess in the fiat surface of said rod adjacent the round portion thereof, a spring-pressed ball disposed in said recess, and excavating tools disposed at the lower end of said rod.

3. In a device of the type described, a

housing, a rod disposed in saidhousing, means carried by said rod and cooperating with said housing for holding said rod against rotation, ablock disposed upon the lower end of said. rod and provided-with a relatively large threaded'opening and a relatively small opening therein, a tension spring having an upwardly extending threaded end receivable in said relatively small opening, saidspring disposed for a portion of its length in said relatively large threaded opening, means for holding said spring. in place, and an excavating tool having areduced threaded. portion disposed in the free OSCAR Ann MATSON. 

